The results of this study suggest that, besides the irrelevant role of body temperature measurement to predict the impending parturition in the bitch, progesterone and 15-ketodihydroprostaglandin F2alpha plasma level records could be more suitable to detect the approaching whelping in this species. More interesting was the statistically significant substantial increase in body temperature beginning 12 h after the onset of parturition. Therefore, if any significant increase in body temperature is recorded at the end of pregnancy without the beginning of the expulsion of fetuses, it could indicate problems at parturition. In this study, cortisol levels increased significantly at the time of delivery and remained high 12 h after the beginning of parturition, decreasing within 36 h after the onset of whelping. 15-ketodihydro-prostaglandin F2alpha levels increased significantly 24 h before parturition and again at the onset of whelping. Progesterone levels decreased significantly, starting 24 h before the onset of whelping and remained low after delivery.

Serum collected in a time-course mode during the pregnancy of a group of heifers was analyzed by 2-DE under various experimental conditions to optimize resolution of all protein spots. Changes in the levels of some components were detected during the last phase of pregnancy and early postpartum. These included a decrease of alpha2-HS-glycoprotein, an increase of alpha1-antichymotrypsin and, with a much larger and more abrupt variation, of orosomucoid and haptoglobin. These findings associate the weeks preceding calving with an acute-phase reaction. Analysis of individual animal's sera by 1-DE demonstrated a higher level of orosomucoid in the sera of cows developing postpartum endometritis during the 2 wk after calving (i.e., in the course of the infection) but a lower level during the 2 wk before calving. This observation could represent an important tool for the prepartum detection of animals prone to develop postpartum endometritis and lead to a more accurate peripartum management of those animals.

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A reference map for Bos taurus serum was obtained using proteomic tools: 21 proteins, plus several serum albumin fragments, have been identified in 47 spots. One of the major acute-phase reactants, haptoglobin, was also detected in a pathological serum. A number of technical problems had to be solved. (i) Spot resolution in two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) is not easily optimized, as several proteins have similar molecular mass; different polyacrylamide concentration gradients were used for the analysis of various size ranges. (ii) Identification of proteins through mass spectrometry (MS) procedures is also difficult as the genome of Bos taurus is incompletely characterized. The program FASTS proved particularly useful, since it allows simultaneous searching of several unordered sequence fragments, which may be individually too short to provide a statistically valid match using BLAST.

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Some aspects of spaying-related urinary incontinence in the bitch still remain incompletely clarified. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the prevalence of the disease among spayed dogs, to detect differences in risk related to the type of surgery, to describe the characteristics of incontinent bitches, to assess the influence of age at surgery on the onset of incontinence occurrence, and to assess the effectiveness and long-term side effects of oestrogen therapy in affected bitches. Among 750 bitches submitted to ovariectomy or ovariohysterectomy, those showing spaying-related urinary incontinence were evaluated. Oestrogen replacement therapy consisted of administering an effective dose followed by an individual maintenance dose. The results showed that the disease occurred in 5% of neutered bitches, the type of surgery did not affect the disease occurrence, affected bitches frequently represented large or giant breeds or large-size mongrels, the body weight of the affected bitches at surgery was often ≥ 20 kg, the disease seems to be associated with tail docking, the age at surgery influences the onset of incontinence, with earlier occurrence in older bitches, and that a strong co-operation between owners and veterinarians is necessary to achieve successful response to oestrogen replacement therapy. Long-term administration seems to be unrelated to oestrogenic side effects.Key words: Bitch, spaying, urinary incontinence, oestrogen therapy Urinary continence results from the combined effect of anatomical and physiological factors leading to normal urinary bladder storage, bladder neck

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